Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s cooking at Ala Moana Bowls. This reef is our only show in town for the next couple of weeks, so we’re all in on what it’s serving up.

Things start off rough. Thursday morning, the 3rd, is a dud. A 2.1m cross-off swell from the ENE, but the period is a short 7 seconds, and the wind is howling at 40 km/h. The energy is weak (947), and the surf is just poor. This carries through to Friday and Saturday morning – the swell gets a bit bigger, but the periods stay short, keeping the quality low. The energy picks up a touch (1322 to 2548), but it’s still marginal.

Saturday afternoon, the 5th, is where it starts to change. The period jumps to 14 seconds, a proper groundswell, with a 2.3m ENE swell. The energy is getting into the moderate range (2403), and the wind eases to 30 km/h. It’s still a cross-off, so it’s clean, but the surf is still just marginal. Sunday, the 6th, keeps this going with a solid 2.2m, 13-14 second swell, and the energy is strong (2733 to 3202). The wind is moderate to fresh, so it’s clean, but the quality is still holding back.

Monday, the 7th, is when it gets serious. The morning brings a 3.0m SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the energy is strong (5596). The wind is still a strong 40 km/h cross-off, but the size is getting into expert territory. By the afternoon, it’s a 4.5m SSW swell, 15-second period, and the energy is very strong (11848). That’s a lot of water moving. The wind swings to a cross-shore, making it lumpy, but the power is massive. Over 2.5m, this is strictly for the experienced crew.

Tuesday, the 8th, is a complete washout. Onshore winds and a drop in swell quality. The 9th, Wednesday, is a moment of relief. The swell drops to 0.9m, but it’s a 14-second SSW groundswell, and the wind goes glassy in the morning. The energy is moderate (514), and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” A small, clean window. The afternoon is also clean with a light cross-off.

The second week is a mixed bag. From Thursday, the 10th, through to the 13th, we see mid-range swells, mostly 1.8m to 2.4m, with periods around 10-15 seconds. The energy is moderate to strong (800 to 1504), but the wind is consistently a fresh breeze, so it’s clean but not perfect. The 14th, Monday, sees the swell build again, hitting 3.5m by the afternoon with strong energy (3488). The 15th, Tuesday, is the second-week standout. A 5.0m E swell, 11-second period, and the energy is very strong (6060 to 6678). The wind is a fresh to strong breeze, but it’s cross-off, so it’s clean. Again, expert-only territory.

The 16th onwards sees the swell drop back to 2.2m to 2.5m, with periods shortening to 8-9 seconds. The energy is moderate (1016 to 2312), and the wind stays fresh. It’s rideable, but nothing special.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year.

The best bet is the small, glassy window on Wednesday, the 9th. For the big wave hunters, Monday, the 7th afternoon, and Tuesday, the 15th, are the real monsters, but they’re for experts only and the wind is a factor. The consistent trade winds mean we’ll have clean surf most of the time, but the quality is often just marginal. Keep an eye on the 15th as a promising but less certain long-range call.

Rusty.

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